Looking Back at the 1st Trimester Part II: Selecting Sanno Hospital

 

I'd like to begin this post by saying how much I recommend Sanno Hospital (so far so good).  Their staff and service are excellent, especially if you are an English speaker seeking a little comfort in English during your pregnancy instead of Japanese.

We chose Sanno Hospital because we are literally a 7 minute taxi ride away from them.  And, I plan to labor as much as possible at home before going to the hospital (more on that later).  Heck, we could walk there if we wanted to, though that would take about 20 minutes.  Anyway, I couldn't find much information about them online, but it was a plus that they had some kind of website describing their services in English.

One pregnancy specialist here in Tokyo, Brett Iimura, described Sanno Hospital as the "Ritz Carlton" of hospitals in Tokyo, when I asked her what she knew about it at last month's Tokyo Pregnancy Group meeting.  According to her, it's the hospital of choice for the Who's Who List and celebrity scene.  It's a private hospital I believe.   Anyway, this bit of information actually helped to put me at ease, as the most popular hospitals I hear of from other mothers here are Aiku, Saint Lukes, and Seibo.  I hardly ever hear information on Sanno Hospital, which initially made me apprehensive.  But, Brett says it's a great hospital, yay!!

Also, my friend Monica recommended Sanno Hospital as well.  She had her baby there and had great things to say about the services and doctors.

So far so good.

I first called to arrange an appointment at Sanno hospital with a doctor to handle my pregnancy when I was about 5-6 weeks pregnant.  I was told that I had to have a referral from my general practioner stating that I was indeed pregnant and that I'd like to be taken care of at Sanno Hospital.  (Japan Moment).  Me on the phone, "Sooooo, I need to have a note from my doctor saying that I am pregnant in order to come to your hospital?"  Receptionist on the phone, "Yes."  Okay....

I don't know how it works in the states, but I imagine you can just call up a doctor and schedule an appointment without requiring a note, but whatever.  Japan really likes notes, referral letters, official stamps and seals with a signature across the flap covered in tape.  It's the thing to do here.

So I call up my general practitioner, who at the time was away on vacation, and I scheduled a meeting with his colleague who when I arrived asked me why I thought I was pregnant.  I told him it felt like I was coming down with a cold over the past week, my period was late, breasts sore, and I've taken two urine pregnancy tests to confirm.  He replied, "Yeah, sounds like pregnancy to me!" Ha!  I found that to be really funny.

Anyway, he asked me to go to the lab and take a urine test and once the test results were confirmed, he'd write my referal letter.  Ten minutes later I was walking out of the doctor's office, letter in hand with a big smile on my face. 

I called G, "It's official! I just took a hospital urine test babe!" I think I called my mom and told her the official urine test story too :).  They were both ecstatic.  (hehehe, it's always these little moments that seem so insignificant that makes me smile.)

Back at home, I call Sanno Hospital a 2nd time and speak with the receptionist about meeting with a doctor.  She asked me if I had a referral form, I said, "Yes I do."  She then asked me if Dr. Tamada would be okay?  I'm like, "ummmmm, I guess.  Does she speak English?  The receptionist confirmed that she did and I said, "Well sure why not?"  I figured I would just go with another one if we didn't hit it off.  The receptionist also informed me that the other doctors (mainly Dr. Oshiba) were already booked solid for pregnancies.  (I'm thinking, you don't even know when I'm due... I'm only five weeks.  You mean there's already a booked scheduled for pregnancies in early December?  Sheesh.)  So, we scheduled a meeting with Dr. Tamada for the following week.

When I arrived to the hospital, I had to check into the reception desk and give them my doctor's note.  They asked me to fill out a form of registraton for the hospital and they created a patient card for me, looks kind of like a credit card.  They spelled my last name wrong in katakana, but I didn't feel like correcting them-- something I hope doesn't come back and bite me later on. 

Anyway, after getting my patient registration card, I went up to the 2nd floor. There were tons of women waiting in the doctor's office when I arrived.  I didn't have my little blue pregnancy book (I was supposed to pick it up from the Minato-ku Ward Office).  I felt so out of place.  And, I was the only one who brought my husband with me, who was my saving grace on this day :).

We must have waiting a good 45 minutes to be seen.  I was frustrated and G kicked into action.  He asked the reception desk what's taking so long.  They explained that it's mid day and that several women arrived ahead of me and that it wouldn't take much longer.  Another 15 minutes later, we met our doctor for the first time.

Nice Japanese woman with a cute haircut, pleasant bedside manner, and good English ability.  She asked me about my last period, if I had any questions, about my health and history and all of that stuff and then she did my first exam.  Pap smear as well as a ultrasound with the 'wand'.  We saw the baby for the first time.  Well, mostly what she called the yolk sak with a little circle in it, and I teared up and said to G, "Look at my baby!!!!  Hi precious!!"

The entire meeting took around 15 minutes and we were done.  I left feeling a little disapointed.  I was expecting a 30-40 minute meeting.  Since then, the meetings have progressed, the conversations about health, labor prep, exercise and whatnot has increased and overall, I'm a happy camper at the hospital and very happy with my doctor.

I will say this though, I've learned that in Japan, you have to be proactive about your pregnancy.  Have a question?  Need more information?  Looking to have a detailed discussion with your doctor?  Not sure about the process, hospital ammenities and whatnot?  YOU HAVE TO ASK :)

We are up to meeting with the doctor every two weeks now and today I visited and handed in my birth plan.  We discussed things in detail, she answered all of my questions, and told me that my cervix is shut, so I'm not at any risk for prematur labor and that I should be exercising and walking a lot to help prepare myself for the upcoming labor :).  She told me she's confident I'd do a great job in labor (Yay!!!)  That's so important that I hear that.  So, that's what I'll be doing, getting my little pregnant workout and stretching on and prepping myself physically for the 'labor' ahead of me.

The landing gear has been deployed people, we are preparing for landing and will be touching down in new mommy and daddy land within weeks!!!

 

 

Comments

[Jamie Gumieny-Fink]

I am so excited for you and congrats on choosing a hospital... It sounds more like a posh hotel :) I added your blog to my side bar (hope that's okay) so I don't miss anything leading up to your little one's arrival!
Blessings.
j
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